Former Zion Lutheran in York prepares for bids to restore church

The church on Duke Street in York could be the future home of multiple ministries, organizers said

A first floor room that was recently damaged by a roof leak at the former Zion Lutheran Church in York. Contractors toured the church Monday to create estimates to restore the building. (Paul Kuehnel — Daily Record/Sunday News)

Chipped paint lines the entrance of the former Zion Lutheran Church in York.

Dust hangs from the chandeliers in the foyer. Deeper into the building, the floors are buckled and holes in the ceiling gape at the people below, allowing rain water to collect on the floor.

Standing in the middle of the downstairs room, Kim Raffensberger looks around with a big smile.

She envisions the room being filled with small, round tables.

"It'll be diner-style," she said. "We can feed the homeless here and hand out clothing. I just keep imagining the lives we can touch in this space."

Raffensberger is project manager for the restoration of Zion Lutheran Church. She's working with numerous ministries, including wHoly Chicken, Tree of Life and Harvest of Blessing, among others, to create a central location to reach the community.

Four contractors and one architect were invited to tour the building Monday to come up with estimates for the restoration of the church, which was built in 1850.

The gym houses a basketball court that needs fixed. The kitchen, with chipped paint and falling cabinets, needs redoing. The sanctuary needs to be converted to become a group home for six to eight boys who will be transiting out of foster care.

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Despite the work ahead, Raffensberger is hopeful. Her vision for the property is like a sweep of light, transforming the dark and dirty rooms to bright and cheerful social halls.

Steve Lane with CL&S was one of the contractors who viewed the building.

"The biggest thing with something like this is making sure it's up to code," Lane said. "Yes, the lights work, but if the electrical wiring isn't up to code we could have to rewire the whole place."

The same could go for the HVAC, plumbing, windows and smoke detectors, he added.

"But honestly, it looks pretty good," Lane said.

The only thing that surprised him was how large the church was inside. At a rough estimate, restoring the whole thing could take anywhere from a few months to a year, he said.

Also of interest

The exterior of the former Zion Lutheran Church on South Duke Street in York. The tower of Christ Lutheran Church can be seen in the background and the York County Judicial Center at right. Several ministries hope to restore the church so they can create a group home for teen boys, feed the homeless and provide other services. (Paul Kuehnel — Daily Record/Sunday News)